The April issue of Low Cost & Regional Airline Business is now online

Leaving the winter months behind, in our latest issue we explore ATR’s main priorities for the year ahead, investing in training capabilities and innovation. ATR has developed its support capabilities with the introduction of new training stimulators, an important factor because the regional market globally is suffering from excess demand versus the current supply of pilots. We also take a look at their working relationship with FedEx in relation to aircraft investment.

As airlines and airports are embracing new technologies, they are now turning to artificial intelligence to support their customer service. We evaluate how technology can help minimise the impact of disruption to the passenger experience and their business with examples such as Boxever, a customer intelligence cloud that is helping airlines with a more complex setup to integrate disparate data ensuring personalised offers and ultimately improve conversions.

From Norway to Germany, we check in with two of the key MRO players, discussing, arguably, the most iconic engine in commercial aviation,
the CFM56. With a significant amount of engines still being delivered to countless operators, it looks like the CFM56 will continue to fly for some time.

Other articles in this issue include:

Cobalt skies:
In less than two years since its first commercial flight between Larnaca and Athens in July 2016, Cobalt Air has accumulated a significant network. The carrier’s rapid expansion now serves 20 destinations across 12 countries. The newcomer’s passenger count has been rising significantly since operations began and that trend is expected to continue.

Growing momentum:
With the Airports Council International (ACI) Europe disclosing that passenger traffic across the European airport network has grown by almost 10% in 2017, this spike is not limited to major gateways. We discover that at smaller airports too, the numbers are steadily increasing.

Signed, sealed, delivered:
Rarely turning heads with regards to aircraft orders, the Singapore Airshow does however play an important role in the world’s biggest growth market. Held in February earlier this year, the show held an impressive track record of attendance, including high-level military and government delegations and leading industry players, not only from Asia but also from around the world.

Retail therapy:
Technology is rapidly changing the face of onboard retail and low cost carriers are increasingly adopting retail management strategies to drive revenues and cost efficiencies. Flight crew members now have the tools that can enable them to sell smarter. We take a look at low cost airline WOW air, who has deployed an onboard retail solution developed by Retail inMotion.